I’d like to offer some information about the UH alumni directory project and hopefully address the concerns posted here.

We understand and appreciate the concerns that have been generated by the e-mail sent Monday to all UH alumni. We plan to send our own e-mail today to further explain the project and let folks know it is legitimate.

The message was sent on behalf of the UH Foundation and UH Alumni Association by Harris Connect, LLC, with whom we have partnered to produce the 2010 University of Hawai’i alumni print directory. The directory, which will be released next spring, will contain listings of University of Hawai’i alumni and will be a resource for them to share their stories, pictures and life experiences with friends and former classmates.

Harris Connect will be selling the directory to alumni, but neither the UH Foundation nor the UH Alumni Association will profit from it. The money Harris Connect earns from the sale of directories covers the cost of updating our database of more than 211,000 alumni records. This information is instrumental in our efforts to keep alumni connected with and build support for the University of Hawai’i.

The directory information is also available for free to alumni on our Web site: http://www.UHalumni.org. You can set up a username and password for free to access the directory. This has been a great resource for alumni who are looking to reconnect with their UH classmates or network. (There are many other features available to alumni on the site, including UHAA event postings, UHAA membership information and a career networking section.)

Above all, we have the utmost respect for your privacy. If you do not wish to be included in either the print or online alumni directory, please give us a call or send us an e-mail to let us know. We want everyone to have the opportunity to be included, but we will certainly respect your preferences if you do not. Harris Connect’s commitment to protecting privacy and ensuring the integrity of the information collected is reflected in their privacy policy online at http://www.harrisconnect.com/privacy.html.

Should you have any questions or concerns about this project, please call our Alumni Relations office at (808) 956-2586 or e-mail me at stacia.garlach@uhf.hawaii.edu.

It is real, unfortunately authorized by the UH Foundation. However, I recommend you ask to be removed immediately. You will be telemarketed to death otherwise. They are a telemarketing agency and proud of it. They will try to sell you a book in order to recoup the cost of updating the information and UH does not get a dime until the book makes money, so they will push hard.

It’s sad that UH foundation needs to resort to this practice which does not provide ANY value to alumni. It shows where their heads are at.

If you really want to donate to UH, do so separately, not through this authorized scam.

See Doug this is what through a red flag at me… it had some address from the mainland in a State I had never lived before.

All the contact info on me was off? Still a bit concerned but thanks for your reply.

Today I receceivd the following Email:

Information regarding the UH alumni directory project

Dear University of Hawai’i Alumni,

Recently you may have been e-mailed a request to verify your University of Hawai’i alumni information. We want to assure you that the request is legitimate, sent on our behalf by Harris Connect, LLC, with whom we have partnered to produce a 2010 UH alumni directory. We hope you will contribute to making this a treasured resource by sharing your stories, pictures and life experiences with friends and former classmates. Harris Connect will continue trying to reach UH alumni in the coming weeks via e-mail, mail and telephone to encourage participation in the project.

Harris Connect’s commitment to protecting your privacy and ensuring the integrity of the information collected is reflected in their privacy policy online. Should you have any questions or concerns, or if you do not want to be included in the directory, please contact Doug Harmon, project manager, at 1-800-735-8239 or dharmon@harrisconnect.com.

I’m still sitting on the fence as to whether I want to be solicited for the rest of my life to an institution that I was only at for two years and constantly did things during the time I was there that I felt could have jeopardized my degree at one time or another.